RESEARCHING the IMPACT of EFFECTIVE COACHING and MENTORING in SCHOOLS 2 Action Research Report CONTENTS

ACTION RESEARCH REPORT RESEARCHING THE IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE COACHING AND MENTORING IN SCHOOLS 2 Action Research Report CONTENTS Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4 Polly Butterfield-Tracey and William Stow The Value of Action Research and Teacher-led Enquiry Projects...................................... 5 Dr Peter Gregory Finding Out More ............................................................................................................ 6 Identifying a New Vulnerable Group: Students with a Fractured Education ................... 7 Dr Clare Stubbs Coaching and Its Importance to Middle Leaders ............................................................ 11 Ros Krauspe How is Coaching Effective in Middle Leaders? ................................................................ 14 Rachael Chapman To What Extent Does Coaching Support the New Standard for Teachers’ Professional Development? ................................................ 15 Polly Butterfield-Tracey Does Coaching Improve Teacher Mindset? ...................................................................... 19 Becky Williams, Debra Lowther, Melita Brown, Glynn Myers Does Coaching Improve Teacher Mindset? ..................................................................... 21 Becky Williams What Does Effective Coaching Look Like at Dover Grammar School for Boys? ............... 23 Dee Derrick, Catherine Gisby and Alan Smith What Impact Does IRIS Connect Have on a Teacher’s Practice? ...................................... 24 Debbie Chapman and Kirsty Adams Researching the Impact of Effective Coaching and Mentoring in Schools 3 INTRODUCTION This project was initiated as a result of reflection on the power of coaching and mentoring and its impact on the professional development of teachers and trainee teachers. The focus on coaching and mentoring coincided with the introduction of a coaching programme at Astor College, which has now become an integral part of our professional development. In discussion with Canterbury Christ Church University, we wanted to ask some systematic questions about this in practice in a number of schools. At Astor College we strive to build a learning community for teachers in every stage of their career, and ultimately the aim of the project was to develop a culture of self-evaluation and inquiry in which teachers learn collaboratively. We are fortunate that Astor is a member of the Dover, Deal and Sandwich (DDS) partnership of schools, and through the DDS we have been able to work with a group of like-minded schools for the good of the teachers and students in our community. Twenty-four participants from across the district took part in the research project and by working alongside Canterbury Christ Church University we were able to formalise our research and publish our findings as presented here. We hope that our energy and curiosity will encourage others to participate in similar school based research projects. Polly Butterfield-Tracey (Associate Assistant Principal, Teaching and Learning, Astor College) William Stow (Head of School, Teacher Education and Development, CCCU) 4 Action Research Report THE VALUE OF ACTION RESEARCH AND TEACHER-LED ENQUIRY PROJECTS Booklets like these which seek to capture the essence of the learning engaged in by those that participate in a range of projects can sometimes be misleading. On first glance, it is easy to be attracted to look at what themes were explored across a range of school settings or perhaps the methods which were employed to complete the study. I think that the deeper and rather bigger questions that we as readers should be asking ourselves are: • What was the value of undertaking these projects? • To the individual researchers? • To their schools? • To their pupils? • And even, over time beyond the life of the project? It’s not possible to answer these questions in depth at the start of the booklet, but you might like to reflect on them as you start to consider the contents of the pages which lie ahead. What can be done here, albeit briefly, is to begin to explore what has already been said about the value of such projects in general terms. What is understood by ‘action research’? ‘Action research is a process of concurrently inquiring about problems and taking action to solve them. It is a sustained, intentional, recursive, and dynamic process of inquiry in which the teacher takes an action— purposefully and ethically in a specific classroom context— to improve teaching/learning. Action research is change research, a nonlinear, recursive, cyclical process of study designed to achieve concrete change in a specific situation, context, or work setting to improve teaching/learning…’ Pine, 2009: 29 In essence, the value of such projects lies in the person who engages. It is not the kind of work which is written about those who work outside the contextual situation in which it is undertaken. The drive comes from someone – in the pages which follow, teachers - who is captivated or intrigued by a particular set of circumstances, and moved to explore these in identifiable systematic, ethical and sceptical/critical ways. The drive is to both understand the situation better and also to make some changes, consider the impact they have made and ultimately pursue lasting improvement. The importance of the researcher within the actual context cannot be over- estimated and by committing to this form of study they are actually engaging in aspects of change of which they may have little awareness as they begin. As indicated in the following pages, individual teachers have read around the topics they have explored, engaged in dialogue with themselves and their peers as they have questioned, reasoned and pondered over possible pathways to take. Why get involved in this process? This process of reflection-action-reflection-action can be considered as a spiralling cyclical process in which the research issues may change and actions undertaken are improved or discarded or become more focused. Action research assumes and celebrates that the teachers themselves are the agents and source of educational reform and not the objects of reform imposed by external agencies. Action research therefore empowers teachers to own their own professional knowledge. They are able to reflect on their practice to improve it, becoming more autonomous in their professional judgment, and able to develop a more energetic and dynamic environment where teaching and learning can take place. They also learn to articulate and build their knowledge, as well as recognise and appreciate their own expertise. ‘Teachers are privileged through the action research process to produce knowledge and consequently experience that “knowledge is power.” As knowledge and action are joined in changing practice, there is growing recognition of the power of teachers to change and reform education from the inside rather than having change and reform imposed top down from the outside.’ Pine, 2009: 31 Researching the Impact of Effective Coaching and Mentoring in Schools 5 Allowing teachers to explore their own area of interest is particularly empowering. Frost and Durrant (2002) commented on this approach as having a long term effect – not just on their behaviour - ‘but rather the impact of teachers’ development work on themselves and on their colleagues. The development of teachers’ leadership skills, the exponential growth of confidence and self-esteem and the release of creative energy have a powerful effect…’ Frost and Durrant, 2002:157 I believe that all of these elements are clearly identifiable through the range of projects described in the following pages. The voices which follow are those of the researchers who undertook the studies in their own schools. It was a great privilege to be involved in their learning journeys. Dr Peter Gregory FRSA FCollT NLG Faculty Director of Partnership-led Action Research and Development References Frost, D. and Durrant, J., (2002) Teachers as Leaders: exploring the impact of teacher-led development work. School leadership & management, 22(2), pp.143-161. Pine, G. (2009) ‘Teacher Action Research’ Chapter 2 in Teacher Action Research: Building Knowledge Democracies pp 29-61 London: Sage. Finding out more Action Research projects If you, your school, Federation, Alliance or Multi Academy Trust would like to explore undertaking similar research activity, in the first instance please discuss your ideas with one of the team of Partnership Development Leaders (PDLs) at Canterbury Christ Church University. www.canterbury.ac.uk/education/pdls A non-committed, informal discussion with the Faculty Director for Partner-led Action Research and Development would normally follow prior to agreeing a costed proposal and timeline. Dr Peter Gregory can be contacted directly by email [email protected] Potential accreditation of Action Research projects Further information on MA studies and registration with the Teaching and Learning Academy can be obtained from Linda Leith [email protected] 6 Action Research Report IDENTIFYING A NEW VULNERABLE GROUP: STUDENTS WITH A FRACTURED EDUCATION Dr Clare Stubbs | Astor College | [email protected] Since January 2016 I have run the Inclusion and Alternative Curriculum Centre at Astor College in Dover. Intergenerational unemployment coupled with instances of drug and alcohol use, and high separation rates among some parents mean that many of the students

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